Thursday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Scripture

Today’s first reading contains some of the most powerful and inspiring words in the New Testament. St. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, writes “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31). These words ought to be the comfort of all Christians who struggle in any way. It is possible to become discouraged in the Christian life, particularly when we encounter suffering, whether physical, mental, or emotional. We may feel persecuted or alienated as we try to journey with Christ, and we may worry about the future, especially by fearing death.

Paul reassures us, however, that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 8:39). If we aspire to do God’s will, then God will always be on our side. This doesn’t mean that life will be easy or comfortable all the time, but it does mean that we are never forgotten, and that, indeed, our future is bright ahead, especially beyond death.

Today’s gospel reading shows the kind of persecution that Jesus himself had to endure. In this enigmatic passage from Luke, we hear Jesus warned that Herod wishes to kill him. Jesus sounds defiant. He is unwilling to stop healing and preaching, even though he knows of his impending death. Out of his great love for us, Jesus faced persecution, suffering, and death. Out of his great love for us, God raised Jesus from the dead as the ultimate sign that life conquers death, and that love conquers all.

It is a strange kind of victory and Christians are a strange kind of conquerors. This is because for most people, it looks as though we have lost when we dedicate our lives to the service of God. To do God’s will in the everyday world is to spend time praying when we could be watching tv, to spend time listening to others and helping them when we could be shopping, to go to Mass on Sunday when we could be sleeping in or watching football. 

But if God is for us, who can be against us? Even those who persecute, criticize, or misunderstand only further our lives of commitment to Christ. In our trials, we grow closer to Jesus, who also underwent suffering. Today, let us take some time to meditate on the message that God is for us. If there is anything discouraging us in our faith life, let us offer it to Christ and ask God to use it to help us grow closer to Him, knowing that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

Maria Morrow